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Síyáh-Chál

April 08, 2024

The Síyáh-Chál (Persian: سیاه چال literally "black pit") was a subterrenean dungeon southeast of the palace of the Sháh in Tehran. It carries a significant role in the history of the Baháʼí Faith, because its founder, Baháʼu'lláh was held there for four months in 1852, and it is where he claimed to have received a revelation.[1] The Síyáh-Chál is regarded as the second holiest place in Iran to Baháʼís,[2] after the house of the Báb, in Shiraz.

Original corridor to the entrance of the Síyáh-Chál in Tehran.

The pit was a discarded cistern converted into a dungeon. It had three flights of steep stairs descending into an area that received no light. There was no functioning latrine, and the small area was filled with up to 150 men.[1]

On 15 August 1852, a radical group of Bábís attempted the assassination of the Shah and failed.[3] The group of Bábís linked with the plan were rounded up and executed, but notwithstanding the assassins' claim that they were working alone, the entire Bábí community was blamed, precipitating a pogrom against the Bábí community that was encouraged and orchestrated by the government.[4] During this time many Bábís were killed, and about 30, including Baháʼu'lláh, were imprisoned in the Síyáh-Chál along with many criminals.[5]

According to Baháʼu'lláh, it was during this four-month imprisonment in appalling conditions that he had several mystical experiences, and received a vision of a maiden, through whom he received his mission as a messenger of God and as the one whose coming the Báb had prophesied.[3][6] It was also the place where he composed his first known tablet, the Rashḥ-i-ʻAmá.

The ambassador of Russia requested that Baháʼu'lláh and others apparently unconnected with the conspiracy be spared. After he had been in the Síyáh-Chál for four months Baháʼu'lláh was in fact finally released, on condition he left Iran.

In 1868 the dungeon was filled-in and the Tikyíh Dowlat, an opera house, was built over the site. The site was Baháʼí property from 1954 until the Islamic Revolution of 1979.[2]

Maid of Heaven edit

In October 1852, after two months had passed in the gloom and stench of the dungeon, Baháʼu'lláh described his vision in the Síyáh-Chál as a 'Maid of Heaven' (Persian: حوری, romanized: ḥúrí).[7][8] He described his experiences in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf and Súriy-i-Haykal. For example, in the Súriy-i-Haykal he wrote:[9]

While engulfed in tribulations I heard a most wondrous, a most sweet voice, calling above My head. Turning My face, I beheld a Maiden — the embodiment of the remembrance of the name of My Lord — suspended in the air before Me. So rejoiced was she in her very soul that her countenance shone with the ornament of the good-pleasure of God, and her cheeks glowed with the brightness of the All-Merciful. Betwixt Earth and Heaven she was raising a call which captivated the hearts and minds of men. She was imparting to both My inward and outer being tidings which rejoiced My soul, and the souls of God's honoured servants. Pointing with her finger unto My head, she addressed all who are in Heaven and all who are on Earth saying: "By God! This is the best beloved of the worlds, and yet ye comprehend not. This is the Beauty of God amongst you, and the power of His sovereignty within you, could ye but understand.

The Maid of Heaven also appears in several tablets of Baháʼu'lláh's, including Tablet of the Maiden (Lawh-i-Húrí), Tablet of the Deathless Youth (Lawh-i-Ghulámu'l-Khuld), Tablet of the Wondrous Maiden (Húr-i-'Ujáb), Tablet of the Holy Mariner (Lawh-i-Malláhu'l-Quds)[7][10] (all written in the Baghdad period 1856–63), the Súrih of the Pen (Súriy-i-Qalam; c. 1865) and the Tablet of the Vision (Lawh-i-Ruʼyá; 1873).[11]

Hatcher and Hemmat interpret the different occurrences of the Maid of Heaven throughout the writings of Bahá'u'lláh as the gradual unveiling of the station of Bahá'u'lláh.[12] Sours describes parallels with Sophia, the personification of Wisdom in the Wisdom literature in the Bible.[13] John Walbridge categorized her appearance under four themes: 'the maiden revealed' as the personification of the spirit of God, 'the maiden in love' as a bride personifying his coming revelation, 'the maiden heartbroken' in sorrow and grief over impending exile and of internal and external enemies, and 'the maiden afterwards' representing healing of spiritual wounds and the increasing tranquility of Bahá'u'lláh's later years.[14]

The Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith, Shoghi Effendi, compares the Maid of Heaven with the Holy Spirit as manifested in the Burning Bush of Moses, the Dove to Jesus, the angel Gabriel to Muhammad.[15] Further, Farshid Kazemi discusses links with the Zoroastrian Daena.[16] Effendi wrote about the Maiden in God Passes By: "He lauded the names and attributes of His Creator, extolled the glories and mysteries of His own Revelation, sang the praises of that Maiden that personified the Spirit of God within Him".[17]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b Adamson 2009.
  2. ^ a b Smith 2000.
  3. ^ a b Cole 1988.
  4. ^ Smith 2008, pp. 14–15.
  5. ^ Baháʼí International Community 1992, p. 3.
  6. ^ Hutter 2005.
  7. ^ a b Smith 2000, p. 230.
  8. ^ Cameron & Momen 1996.
  9. ^ Baháʼu'lláh 2002, p. 5.
  10. ^ Smith 2000, pp. 79–86.
  11. ^ Taherzadeh 1987, pp. 223–224.
  12. ^ Hatcher & Hemmat 2019.
  13. ^ Sours, Michael (1991). The Maid of Heaven, the Image of Sophia, and the Logos: Personification of the Spirit of God in Scripture and Sacred Literature. Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 4:1, pp. 47-65.
  14. ^ Walbridge 1997.
  15. ^ Abdo 1994.
  16. ^ Kazemi 2013.
  17. ^ Effendi 1944.

References edit

  • Abdo, Lil (1994). "Female Representations of the Holy Spirit in Baháʼí and Christian writings and their implications for gender roles". Baháʼí Studies Review. 4 (1).
  • Adamson, Hugh C. (2009). "Síyáh-Chál". The A to Z of the Baháʼí Faith. The A to Z Guide Series, No. 70. Plymouth, UK: Scarecrow Press. pp. 443–444. ISBN 978-0-8108-6853-3.
  • Baháʼí International Community (1992). Baháʼu'lláh. Baháʼí World Centre. p. 3.
  • Baháʼu'lláh (2002) [Composed 1868]. The Summons of the Lord of Hosts. Haifa Israel: Baháʼí World Centre. p. 5. ISBN 0-85398-976-1.
  • Baháʼu'lláh (1988) [Composed 1892]. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. pp. 20–22. ISBN 0-87743-182-5.
  • Cameron, Glenn; Momen, Wendy (1996). A Basic Baháʼí Chronology. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0-85398-404-2.
  • Cole, Juan (1984). "Baháʼu'lláh and the Naqhbandí Sufis in Iraq, 1854–1856". In Momen, Moojan (ed.). From Iran East and West. Kalimat Press. pp. 1–28. ISBN 978-0-933770-40-9.
  • Cole, Juan (15 December 1988). "Baha'-allah". Encyclopædia Iranica. 4. Vol. III. pp. 422–29.
  • Effendi, Shoghi (1944). God Passes By.
  • Effendi, Shoghi (2002). The Decisive Hour. Bahai Publishing Trust.
  • Hatcher, John S.; Hemmat, Amrollah; Hemmat, Ehsanollah (2019). Bahá’u’lláh’s Symbolic Use of the Veiled Ḥúríyyih. Journal of Bahá'í Studies 29 (3).
  • Kazemi, Farshid (2013). "Celestial Fire: Baháʼu'lláh as the Messianic Theophany of the Divine Fire in Zoroastrianism". Irfan Colloquia. 14. Wilmette, IL: 45–123. ISBN 978-3942426183.
  • Khadem, Dhikru'llah (March 1976). "Baháʼu'lláh and His Most Holy Shrine". Baháʼí News (540): 1–16.
  • Momen, Mojan (2009). "Tehran (Tihrán), Iran". Baháʼí Encyclopedia Project. Evanston, IL: National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of the United States.
  • Momen, Moojan (2019). "Two Episodes from the Life of Bahá'u'lláh in Iran". Lights of Irfan. 20.
  • Smith, Peter (2000). "Síyáh-Chál". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 323–267. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
  • Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-86251-6.
  • Taherzadeh, Adib (1987). The Revelation of Baháʼu'lláh. Vol. 4: Mazra'ih & Bahji 1877-92. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN 0-85398-270-8.
  • Walbridge, John (1997). "Erotic Imagery in the Allegorical Writings of Baha'u'llah".

35°40′47″N 51°25′13″E / 35.67972°N 51.42028°E / 35.67972; 51.42028

April 08, 2024
síyáh, chál, persian, سیاه, چال, literally, black, subterrenean, dungeon, southeast, palace, sháh, tehran, carries, significant, role, history, baháʼí, faith, because, founder, baháʼu, lláh, held, there, four, months, 1852, where, claimed, have, received, reve. The Siyah Chal Persian سیاه چال literally black pit was a subterrenean dungeon southeast of the palace of the Shah in Tehran It carries a significant role in the history of the Bahaʼi Faith because its founder Bahaʼu llah was held there for four months in 1852 and it is where he claimed to have received a revelation 1 The Siyah Chal is regarded as the second holiest place in Iran to Bahaʼis 2 after the house of the Bab in Shiraz Original corridor to the entrance of the Siyah Chal in Tehran The pit was a discarded cistern converted into a dungeon It had three flights of steep stairs descending into an area that received no light There was no functioning latrine and the small area was filled with up to 150 men 1 On 15 August 1852 a radical group of Babis attempted the assassination of the Shah and failed 3 The group of Babis linked with the plan were rounded up and executed but notwithstanding the assassins claim that they were working alone the entire Babi community was blamed precipitating a pogrom against the Babi community that was encouraged and orchestrated by the government 4 During this time many Babis were killed and about 30 including Bahaʼu llah were imprisoned in the Siyah Chal along with many criminals 5 According to Bahaʼu llah it was during this four month imprisonment in appalling conditions that he had several mystical experiences and received a vision of a maiden through whom he received his mission as a messenger of God and as the one whose coming the Bab had prophesied 3 6 It was also the place where he composed his first known tablet the Rashḥ i ʻAma The ambassador of Russia requested that Bahaʼu llah and others apparently unconnected with the conspiracy be spared After he had been in the Siyah Chal for four months Bahaʼu llah was in fact finally released on condition he left Iran In 1868 the dungeon was filled in and the Tikyih Dowlat an opera house was built over the site The site was Bahaʼi property from 1954 until the Islamic Revolution of 1979 2 Contents 1 Maid of Heaven 2 See also 3 Notes 4 ReferencesMaid of Heaven editIn October 1852 after two months had passed in the gloom and stench of the dungeon Bahaʼu llah described his vision in the Siyah Chal as a Maid of Heaven Persian حوری romanized ḥuri 7 8 He described his experiences in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf and Suriy i Haykal For example in the Suriy i Haykal he wrote 9 While engulfed in tribulations I heard a most wondrous a most sweet voice calling above My head Turning My face I beheld a Maiden the embodiment of the remembrance of the name of My Lord suspended in the air before Me So rejoiced was she in her very soul that her countenance shone with the ornament of the good pleasure of God and her cheeks glowed with the brightness of the All Merciful Betwixt Earth and Heaven she was raising a call which captivated the hearts and minds of men She was imparting to both My inward and outer being tidings which rejoiced My soul and the souls of God s honoured servants Pointing with her finger unto My head she addressed all who are in Heaven and all who are on Earth saying By God This is the best beloved of the worlds and yet ye comprehend not This is the Beauty of God amongst you and the power of His sovereignty within you could ye but understand The Maid of Heaven also appears in several tablets of Bahaʼu llah s including Tablet of the Maiden Lawh i Huri Tablet of the Deathless Youth Lawh i Ghulamu l Khuld Tablet of the Wondrous Maiden Hur i Ujab Tablet of the Holy Mariner Lawh i Mallahu l Quds 7 10 all written in the Baghdad period 1856 63 the Surih of the Pen Suriy i Qalam c 1865 and the Tablet of the Vision Lawh i Ruʼya 1873 11 Hatcher and Hemmat interpret the different occurrences of the Maid of Heaven throughout the writings of Baha u llah as the gradual unveiling of the station of Baha u llah 12 Sours describes parallels with Sophia the personification of Wisdom in the Wisdom literature in the Bible 13 John Walbridge categorized her appearance under four themes the maiden revealed as the personification of the spirit of God the maiden in love as a bride personifying his coming revelation the maiden heartbroken in sorrow and grief over impending exile and of internal and external enemies and the maiden afterwards representing healing of spiritual wounds and the increasing tranquility of Baha u llah s later years 14 The Guardian of the Bahaʼi Faith Shoghi Effendi compares the Maid of Heaven with the Holy Spirit as manifested in the Burning Bush of Moses the Dove to Jesus the angel Gabriel to Muhammad 15 Further Farshid Kazemi discusses links with the Zoroastrian Daena 16 Effendi wrote about the Maiden in God Passes By He lauded the names and attributes of His Creator extolled the glories and mysteries of His own Revelation sang the praises of that Maiden that personified the Spirit of God within Him 17 See also editHouri ShekhinaNotes edit a b Adamson 2009 a b Smith 2000 a b Cole 1988 Smith 2008 pp 14 15 Bahaʼi International Community 1992 p 3 Hutter 2005 sfn error no target CITEREFHutter2005 help a b Smith 2000 p 230 Cameron amp Momen 1996 Bahaʼu llah 2002 p 5 Smith 2000 pp 79 86 Taherzadeh 1987 pp 223 224 Hatcher amp Hemmat 2019 sfn error no target CITEREFHatcherHemmat2019 help Sours Michael 1991 The Maid of Heaven the Image of Sophia and the Logos Personification of the Spirit of God in Scripture and Sacred Literature Journal of Baha i Studies 4 1 pp 47 65 Walbridge 1997 Abdo 1994 Kazemi 2013 Effendi 1944 References editAbdo Lil 1994 Female Representations of the Holy Spirit in Bahaʼi and Christian writings and their implications for gender roles Bahaʼi Studies Review 4 1 Adamson Hugh C 2009 Siyah Chal The A to Z of the Bahaʼi Faith The A to Z Guide Series No 70 Plymouth UK Scarecrow Press pp 443 444 ISBN 978 0 8108 6853 3 Bahaʼi International Community 1992 Bahaʼu llah Bahaʼi World Centre p 3 Bahaʼu llah 2002 Composed 1868 The Summons of the Lord of Hosts Haifa Israel Bahaʼi World Centre p 5 ISBN 0 85398 976 1 Bahaʼu llah 1988 Composed 1892 Epistle to the Son of the Wolf Wilmette Illinois USA Bahaʼi Publishing Trust pp 20 22 ISBN 0 87743 182 5 Cameron Glenn Momen Wendy 1996 A Basic Bahaʼi Chronology Oxford UK George Ronald ISBN 0 85398 404 2 Cole Juan 1984 Bahaʼu llah and the Naqhbandi Sufis in Iraq 1854 1856 In Momen Moojan ed From Iran East and West Kalimat Press pp 1 28 ISBN 978 0 933770 40 9 Cole Juan 15 December 1988 Baha allah Encyclopaedia Iranica 4 Vol III pp 422 29 Effendi Shoghi 1944 God Passes By Effendi Shoghi 2002 The Decisive Hour Bahai Publishing Trust Hatcher John S Hemmat Amrollah Hemmat Ehsanollah 2019 Baha u llah s Symbolic Use of the Veiled Ḥuriyyih Journal of Baha i Studies 29 3 Kazemi Farshid 2013 Celestial Fire Bahaʼu llah as the Messianic Theophany of the Divine Fire in Zoroastrianism Irfan Colloquia 14 Wilmette IL 45 123 ISBN 978 3942426183 Khadem Dhikru llah March 1976 Bahaʼu llah and His Most Holy Shrine Bahaʼi News 540 1 16 Momen Mojan 2009 Tehran Tihran Iran Bahaʼi Encyclopedia Project Evanston IL National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahaʼis of the United States Momen Moojan 2019 Two Episodes from the Life of Baha u llah in Iran Lights of Irfan 20 Smith Peter 2000 Siyah Chal A concise encyclopedia of the Bahaʼi Faith Oxford Oneworld Publications pp 323 267 ISBN 1 85168 184 1 Smith Peter 2008 An Introduction to the Baha i Faith Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 86251 6 Taherzadeh Adib 1987 The Revelation of Bahaʼu llah Vol 4 Mazra ih amp Bahji 1877 92 Oxford UK George Ronald ISBN 0 85398 270 8 Walbridge John 1997 Erotic Imagery in the Allegorical Writings of Baha u llah 35 40 47 N 51 25 13 E 35 67972 N 51 42028 E 35 67972 51 42028 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Siyah Chal amp oldid 1193207607, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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